Referendum on federal prisoners in Anderson County Jail urged

That’s what an Anderson County commissioner is urging when it comes to the hot-button proposal to house federal and state inmates in the Anderson County Jail.

Dusty Irwin’s move to call for a nonbinding referendum on the question goes before the commission’s Legislative Committee on Thursday and will advance to the full panel later this month.

“It’s a big enough issue that I think the citizens ought to have a vote,” Irwin said.

He said such a referendum could be placed on the August ballot to coincide with the massive number of local races up for a vote then.

The proposal to house federal and state inmates in the county jail has been voiced by some commissioners as a way to receive additional income to help pay for a 212-bed, $10 million addition to the jail.

It’s been the subject of fierce public debate, with Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank voicing opposition to the move in a column submitted to local newspapers, while Commissioner Myron Iwanski has expressed an opposing view in a public response.

“I have been advised that we cannot legally make money on the proposition,” Frank wrote.

She called the notion of housing federal inmates “a business I do not wish our county to enter.”

Iwanski said housing a “small number of low-risk state and federal inmates at a negotiated rate” could cover some of the fixed costs of running an expanded jail.

Irwin in December’s commission meeting made a motion that was seconded calling for such a referendum. In what he called “an odd turn,” Irwin said Law Director Jay Yeager opined that he didn’t think such a referendum was possible, and no vote was taken.

Since then, Irwin said he’s done some “legwork” that indicates such a vote could be held.

Both he and Anderson County Administrator of Elections Mark Stephens said if the Legislature passes a private act giving the go-ahead, a referendum on the matter could be conducted.

Frank in an email said he’s in support of Irwin’s efforts.

“I fully agree with him and 100 percent support the idea and effort to allow the people of Anderson County to clearly voice their opinions,” she wrote.

Still undetermined, Irwin said, is whether such a referendum could instead be binding.

“If it’s possible to have a binding referendum, I would be OK with that,” he said.

Yeager in recent emailed responses to Irwin’s questions about a possible referendum said only pretrial detainees in the federal system could be housed in a county jail.